Cambodians living in South Korea say they are unconcerned the trading of threats between the United States and North Korea.
Last Friday, the North Korean regime responded to a threat of military action if it continued to test nuclear weapons technology.
In an official statement in response to U.S. President Donald Trump saying he would “solve the problem” of North Korea if China did not exert pressure on the regime, the North Korean Foreign Ministry said it would “hold the US wholly accountable for the catastrophic consequences to be entailed by its outrageous actions,” according to the Korean Central News Agency.
Rin Saro, director of the Cambodian Buddhist Center on the outskirts of Suwon, South Korea, said Cambodians living in the area and their South Korean counterparts had shown little evidence of succumbing to fear.
“But this time I have seen that the U.S. sent a warship near here. I was worried a bit but we have seen these threats on TV too many times already,” he said.
Hem Sambo, 47, an electrician who works some 50 kilometers from the North Korean border, said he was not worried because he trusted in the South’s military capacity.
“In Korea, I think there is no concern about conflict between countries, unlike in Cambodia. We only continue to do our job and those who need to defend the country, they do their job. So there is no worry.”
Khim Koeun, 36, who is also an electrician working near the border, echoed Sambo’s comments.
“Korean people said that we don't have to think about it... we only need to keep working because Korean leaders know what they should do.”
Vy Samnang, another Cambodian expatriate worker, said during a visit to the Imjingak memorial said his family back in Cambodia were worried for his safety.
“They asked about me, but I said I am still okay and waiting for the situation to change.”
The statement from North Korea warned that it could strike a U.S. military base in the South.
Saro said that the best outcome would be negotiations between the two sides.
“If we want peace, happiness, unity, both parties have to get close and negotiate.”
